sit-upon

American  

[sit-uh-pon, -pawn] / ˈsɪt əˌpɒn, -ˌpɔn /

noun

1. a piece of waterproof fabric or other material carried by campers, hikers, etc., and used for sitting on wet surfaces.

2. Chiefly British Informal. the buttocks.

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Etymology

Origin of sit-upon

First recorded in 1835–45; noun use of verb phrase sit upon

Example Sentences

In the “lithium triangle” – a region spanning Argentina, Chile and Bolivia – native communities sit upon a treasure trove of the stuff: an estimated trillion dollars in lithium.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 13, 2024

“So to now have found this amazing pedestal – my horse Dapper Dan to sit upon – and not have to say a word is amazing.”

From The Guardian • Jun. 1, 2020

It was titled “An Elegy to Dispel Gloom,” and it began: “Let us not sit upon the ground / and tell sad stories / of the death of sanity.”

From New York Times • Mar. 11, 2019

Near the top, the initials “US” sit upon a silver crest that calls to mind the portrait on the obverse of a dollar bill.

From The New Yorker • May 18, 2016

There was nothing to sit upon in the shed but upended dough buckets, but they sufficed.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood